Label printing device



Dec. 22, 1959 R L, SCHICK ETAL 2,918,000 LABEL PRINTING DEVICE Filed Nov. 25, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTUR. ROBERT LSCH/CK BRUCE E ROB/ABO/V 22, 1959 R. L. SCHICK ETAL 2,918,000

LABEL PRINTING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 25, 1955 m T m m Dec. 22, 1959 R. scHlcK ETAL ,0

' LABEL PRINTING DEVICE Filed Nov. 25, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN V EN TOR. ROBERT L .SCH/Ck' BRUCE E m B/NSO/V BY W MT NE 1959 R. L. SCHICK ETAL 2,918,000

LABEL' PRINTING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 25, 1955 IN V EN TOR. ROBE/W L. SCH/CK BRUCE E ROB/NS OIV United S e atent assignors, by mesne assignments, to Toledo Scale Corporation, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application November 25, 1955, Serial No. 549,050

4 Claims. (Cl. 101-378) This invention relates to improvements in rotary printing machines, and more particularly to improved means for removably fixing printing indicia in proper position in such machines. 7

Where successive labels must be provided with different information, e.g., in conneetion with the labeling of packaged meats in food stores, the changing of the printing indicia in the label printing apparatus constitutes an important element of time and cost. Each package must be marked to indicate the type of food, weight, cost per pound, and total cost. Several labels may bear information as to the type of meat, e.g., Veal Steak, that must be changed for the next' group of labels. Furthermore, the printing indicia must be properly positioned so that no overlapping of the various printed matter occurs.

Usually, the marking indicating the type of food is made by label printing apparatus and the markings indicating weight, cost per pound, and total cost is accomplished by a printing weighing scale in a succeeding operation.

The weighing scale printing step may be eliminated when predetermined weight (or count) and price packages are prepared, i.e., the label printing apparatus may print the kind of commodity, weight or count, cost per poundor unit of count, and total cost complete in one step. Such predetermined weight (or count) and price packages may contain, for example, hardware, baked goods, vegetables, and fruits.-

Heretofore, apparatus used for printing successive labels either was not provided with practical means for rapidly changing and positioning type and/or was not flexible and practicable for use both in packaging operations in conjunction with a printing weighing scale and in predetermined weight (or count) and price packaging.

The principal object of this invention is to provide improved means for removably fixing printing indicia in proper position in rotary printing machines, whereby such machines are practicable for use both in packaging operations in conjunction with a printing weighing scale and in predetermined weight (or count) and price packaging.

This and other objects and various advantages will be apparent from the following description of a preferred form of the invention.

According to the invention, rotary printing machines may be equipped with a novel printing plate and chase holder which is rigidly and removably secured to a rotatable shaft. The holder includes means for removably holdinga printing plate and a chase of unique design in operative position. The printing plate may be quickly substituted for another when a number of diiferent labels must be printed in sequence and ordinary rubber type inserts may be held in the chase for printing such information as the date or for .printing weight (or count) and price when the weight (or count) and price are predetermined. Means are provided forpos'itioning the printing plate and the chase relative to the holder and for nonre'versibly locating the plate and the chase in the holder.

Apre'ferre'd embodiment of the invention is'illustrated ,in the accompanying drawings.

" ice In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a printing weighing scale and a case enclosing a machine for printing successive labels on a strip of paper.

Figure II is a perspective view of the printing machine enclosed within the case shown in Figure I, which machine is provided with means for removably fixing printing indicia in proper position according to the inventon.

Figure III is an enlarged side elevational view of feeding and cutting mechanism with some shafts, pintles and supports in section looking at the right side of the machine shown in Figure II with the upright right hand wall of the frame removed.

Figure IV is an enlarged and detailed perspective view of the printing plate, the chase, and the printing plate and chase holder illustrated in Figure II.

V Figure V is an exploded view ofthe devices shown in Figure IV.

Referring to the drawings in detail:

A rotary printing machine 1 is enclosed in a case 2 supported on a stand 3 adapted to be used in food prepackaging in installations such as that shown in Figure 1. Labels from a rolled strip 4 are fed into the bottom of the case 2, advanced in steps through the printing machine and, after being printed and severed from the strip, held in a holder in the position at the top of the case 2 shown in Figure I so that an operator may readily transfer the label to a printing weighing scale 5 for a second printing operation. The marking indicating the type of food-to be packaged is printed by the rotary printing machine 1 and the markings indicating weight, cost per pound, and total cost are printed by the weighing scale 5.

The rotary printing machine 1 includes a frame 6 having an upright Wall 7 and a vertical column 8. EX- tending outwardly from the wall 7 is a bed 9 adjustable relative to the wall. Labels in a strip are guided over the bed 9 by means of pawls (not shown) to feed between a printing plate and chase holder 10 and a cooperating pressure roller 11 beneath the holder 10. Thev printing plate and chase holder 10 'has a langitudinally extending eccentrically located opening 12 for rigidly and removably securing it to a rotatable shaft 13 mounted within a journal carried by the column 8. The shaft13 constitutes the basic drive means for the machine.

The pressure roller 11 is supported directly beneath the printing plate and chase holder 10 and is carried by a shaft 14 mounted in the column 8. The pressure roller 11 has a rigid concentric metallic bearing rotatably mounted on a shaft 15 which comprises part of the main supporting shaft 14. The shaft section 15 is formed eccentrically to the shaft section 14 so that as the latter is rotated the pressure roller 11 'will be moved toward and away from the printing plate and chase holder 10 so that the proper printing pressure may be obtained.

.An inking roller 16 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 17 which is in turn pivotally mounted on the upper part of the column 8. A bracket 18 is provided with an operating handle 19 to facilitate positioning of the inking roller 16 about a pivot member 20 pivotally mounted within a sleeve 21 to bring the inking roller 16 into operative position with the printing plate and chase holder 10.

The several operating components of the machine, such as the printing plate and chase holder 10 and the pawls, are coordinated by means of a cam 22 carried on the end of the shaft 13 adjacent the printing plate and chase holder '10 and rotated therewith. A second cam 23,. carried by the cam 22, operates cutting means for severing each printed label from a strip, The cam 22 cooper: ates with a cam follower 24 pivoted on the shaft 14 and has a follower arm 25 that rides on the outer periphery of the cam 22. A lower lever arm 26 is coupled with a connecting link 27 that actuates the pawls. The cam follower arm 25 is held in constantcontact with the periphery of the cam 22 by means of a spring 28 between the outer end of the arm 26 and the frame 6. A cam follower 29 also cooperates with the outer periphery of the cam 22 and actuates a leg 30 pivoted to the wall 7 by means of a screw 31. Movement of the leg 39 acts to retract the pawls after they have moved forward to advance a label over the bed 9.

As the labels are printed, provision is made in the form of a cutter 32 to sever each label for removal by an operator for attachment to the goods for which it is intended. The cutter 32 is positioned adjacent the printing plate and chase holder and the pressure roller 11 and is carried by the frame 6.

The cutter 32 comprises a bracket 33 having a first leg or flat surface 34 and asecond leg or extended portion 35 formed with a cutting edge 36 laying in the plane of the flat surface and an L-shaped knife 37 having a flattened end portion 38 and a blade 39 extending generally in the plane of the flattened end portion 38 and adapted to cooperate with the cutting edge 36 of the bracket 33. The bracket 33 is fastened to a metal block 40 by a pair of screws or rivets 41 and the block in turn is fastened to the frame 6 by a pair of screws passing through openings 42 in the block and threaded in the frame. The meeting edge of the extended portion 35 of the bracket 33 and of the flat surface 34 of the bracket 33 cooperates with the blade 39 of the knife 37 to form a shearing means. I

The blade 39 of the knife 37 is slightly bent or curved to extend over the extended portion 35 of the bracket 33 to press tightly against the cutting edge 36 of the bracket 33 throughout its travel, and the blade 39 and its cutting edge is curved in the plane of movement of the blade to produce an efficient shearing action. The flattened end portion 38 of the knife is loosely pivoted to the flat surface 34 of the bracket 33 at 43. A screw 44 carried by the flat surface 34 of the bracket 33 and a surrounding spring 45 are provided for urging the cutting edge of the knife 37 against the cutting edge 36 of the bracket 33.

The cutter 32 is automatically actuated at the completion of each cycle of the printer to sever the printed label. This action is accomplished by the second cam 23 carried by the cam 22, a pivotally mounted bell crank 46 pivoted at 47 to the metal block 40 for rotation about an axis generally parallel to the cutting edge of the bracket 33, and a link 48 coupling the bell crank 46 and the flattened end portion 38 of the knife 37 for moving the blade 39 of the knife 37 past the cutting edge 36 of the bracket 33. The bell crank 46 includes a screw 49 adapted to contact the periphery of the second cam 23. The screw 49 provides for adjustment of the knife 37 and may be locked in adjusted position by a nut 50. The bell crank 46 is connected to the knife 37 by means of the link 48 which extends downwardly from the bell crank at an angle towards the knife to assist the spring 45 in urging the cutting edge of the knife 37 against the cutting edge of the bracket 33. Rotation of the bell crank 46 about its pivot 47 under the action of the second cam 23 moves the link which in turn moves the knife downwardly about its pivot 43 and inwardly against the cooperating fixed cutting edge 36 of the bracket 33. A helical compression spring 51 interposed between an arm 52 of the block 40 and the bottom of the link 48 urges the kmfe 37 toward open position.

The printing plate and chase holder 10, which may he slid back and forth on the rotatable shaft 13 or may be rotated on the shaft 13 by loosening an adjusting screw 53 to enable one to position the holder 10 transverse to the path of movement of the labels over the bed 9 so" that the printed matter appears in the proper place on the labels and to synchronize the holder with the coopcrating pressure roller 11, has a rounded top and a pair of resilient'clips 54 for removably holding a printing plate 55 on the rounded top. The plate must be inserted underneath the clips from a position at the left of the machine 1 as viewed in Figure II because the column 8 and the cam 22 are so closely adjacent the right hand end of the holder 10 that the plate cannot be inserted or removed from the right hand end of the holder. One of the resilient clips 54 is attached to the holder 10 by means of screws 56 and the other is attached to the holder 10 by means of screws 58 that extend through the bottom of a member 57 and through the clips 54 holding the member 57 tightly against the plate fixing the clip to the holder. The member 57 has a surface 59 pressed against the clip 54 and has an upstanding side 60 slanted and spaced apart relative to that side of the resilient clip against which the surface 59 of the member bears forming a longitudinal chase-retaining tapered slot 61 (see Figure III).

The printing plate 55 comprises a curved body member having an embossed raised portion 62. The embossed raised portion includes indicia for imprinting the labels and may be easily and inexpensively formed by stamping. The printing plate 55 is provided with a fixed handle 63 which in addition to providing a convenient grasping means performs the functions of positioning the plate 55 relative to the holder 10 and of nonreversibly locating the plate in the holder, i.e., the plate is inserted in the holder underneath the resilient clips 54 until the end of the handle nearest the raised portion 62 contacts the holder 10 at 64 which also prevents the plate from being inserted backward in the holder.

A plurality of the inexpensive printing plates 55 may be acquired by the user so that he may have a separate plate containing all or part of the information desired to be printed for each different label. When a different group of labels is to be printed, the printing plate 55 is slipped from its position and another quickly slid into its place. No care need be exercised to determine the exact printing location of the indicia so that no overlapping of the various printed matter occurs during successive printing operations, since the printing plate is automatically and correctly located by contacting the holder at 64. The printing plate 55 is so inexpensive that a large number may be acquired by the user who continues to save money as long as he uses them, since the changing of the printing indicia may constitute an important element of time and cost.

In addition to the information printed by the printing plate 55, information may be printed by ordinary rubber type inserts held by being pinched in a resilient typereceiving channel 65 of a uniquely designed chase 66 which is removably held in the longitudinal chase-retaining tapered slot 61 of the holder 10. The chase 66 is formed of a resilient material and is of a size such that, when it is inserted into the tapered slot 61, the sides of the chase are slightly pressed toward each other to hold it in that position to which it is slid. The chase must be inserted in the slot from a position at the left of the machine 1 as viewed in Figure II because the column 8 and the cam 22 are so closely adjacent the right hand end of the holder 10 that the chase cannot be inserted or removed from the right hand end of the holder. The chase 66 is provided with a fixed handle 67 which in addition to providing a convenient grasping means performs the functions of positioning the chase relative to the holder 10'and of non-reversibly locating the chase in the holder, i.e., the chase 66 is inserted in the holder 10 inthe direction indicated by the arrow in Figure V until an end of the handle 67 contacts the holder 10 at 68 which also prevents the chase from being inserted backward in the holder.

When the chase 66 is removed from the tapered slot 61, it sides spring apart slightly, however, even then the type-receiving channel 65 of the chase 66 is normally tapered and has the general shape shown in Figure 111 so that the rubber type inserts may be easily gripped by the chase.

i In operation, the rotary printing machine {may be usedjeither' in packaging operations'ineonjunction with a printing weighing scale or in predetermined weight (or count) a'nd'price packaging; In either case, his usually desirable to use both the printing plati" 55 and thecliase 66 in combination. For example; where successive labels must be provided with different information in connection with the labeling of packaged meats in food stores, rubber type inserts, selected from a set of standard individual characters, may be inserted in the chase 66. Such rubber inserts may be used to mark the packages with the date and, therefore, they, may, remain in the machine all' day; However, several l'abels may" bear information as to the type of meat, e.g., Veal Steak, that must be changed for the next group of labels. Such information is printed by the printing plate 55. When a difierent group of labels is to be printed, the printing plate 55 is slipped from its position and another quickly slid into its place. After being printed and severed from a strip, the labels are held in a holder in the position at the top of the case 2 shown in Figure I so that an operator may readily transfer the label to the printing weighing scale 5 for a second printing operation. The marking indicating the type of food to be packaged is printed by the printing plate 55, the marking indicating the date is printed by the rubber type held in the chase 66, and the markings indicating weight, cost per pound, and total cost is printed by the weighing scale.

In predetermined weight (or count) and price packaging, e.g., in the packaging of hardware, baked goods, vegetables, and fruits, the weighing scale printing step may be eliminated through the use of a rotary printing machine embodying the invention. In such case, the amount of goods to be packaged is predetermined by weighing or by counting and all of the information including the weight or count is printed by the rotary printing machine 1. The kind of commodity being packaged is printed by the printing plate 55 and the predetermined weight (or count) and price is printed by the rubber inserts held in the chase 66 on the label in the same place as used by the printing weighing scale. The rubber type inserts may be selected from a set of standard individual characters such as Bunch, Doz., Sheets, etc. A plurality of the inexpensive chases 66 may be acquired by the user so that information for several labels may be set up in advance and the proper one of the chases 66 slipped into the holder when it is needed.

The printing plate and chase holder 10 together with the printing plate 55 and the chase 66 provides a practical way for rapidly changing and positioning type and allows the rotary printing machine to be flexible and practicable for use either in packaging operations in conjunction with a printing weighing scale or in predetermined weight (or count) and price packaging.

Various modifications may be made in specific details of construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having described the invention, we claim:

1. In a rotary printing device for labels, in combination, a thin, elongated, transversely curved printing plate having an embossed raised portion on the outer face between the longitudinal edges thereof, a chase having a resilient type-receiving channel, a holder for the plate and for the chase having a face which conforms to the transverse curve of the printing plate, a pair of spaced resilient plates secured to the holder on opposite sides of the face, edge portions of the plates cooperating with the holder adjacent the face to form longitudinal ways for removably holding the printing plate on the face,

and a chase-retaining, longitudinal groove in the holder a are: slightly pressed" toward. each. in that position to which it is slid:

2. In a rotary printing device for labels; in combina:- tion, a' thin, elongated, transversely curved printing plate having an embossed, raised portion on the outer face between. the longitudinal edges thereof, a chase having a resilient type-receiving channel, a holder for the plate and for the chase having a face which conforms to the transverse curve of the printing plate, apairof, spaced resilient plates secured to the holder on opposite sides of theface, edge portions of the plates cooperating with the holder'a'djacent the face to form longitudinal ways for removably holding the printing plate on the face, a chase-retaining, longitudinal groove in the holder adjacent one of the plates of a size such that when the chase is inserted into the groove the sides of the chase are slightly pressed toward each other to hold the chase in that position to which it is slid, means barring access of the plate and the chase to the ways and to the groove, respectively, from one end of the holder, and means for positioning the plate and the chase relative to the holder and of assisting in non-reversibly locating the plate and the chase in the holder.

3. In a rotary printing device for labels, in combination, a thin, elongated, transversely curved printing plate having an embossed raised portion on the outer face between the longitudinal edges thereof, a handle secured to the inner face of the printing plate adjacent one end thereof and having a surface displaced from the inner face to form a shoulder projecting therefrom at the inner end of the handle, a chase having a typereceiving channel, a handle secured to the bottom of the chase adjacent one end thereof and having a surface displaced from the bottom to form a shoulder projecting therefrom at the inner end of the handle, a holder for the plate and for the chase having a face which conforms to the transverse curve of the plate, a first pair of longitudinal ways on the holder on opposite sides of the face, a second pair of longitudinal ways on the holder adjacent one of the ways of the first pair of Ways, and means barring access of the plate and the chase to the ways from a first end of the holder, the longitudinal edges of the plate at a second end thereof spaced from the handle being admissible to the first pair of Ways from a second end of the holder, the longitudinal sides of the chase at a second end thereof spaced from the handle being admissible to the second pair of ways from the second end of the holder, said shoulders limiting movements of the plate and the chase along the holder while the plate and the chase are mounted in the respective ways by abutting the second end of the holder, and the handles preventing the insertion of the first ends of the plate and the chase into the respective ways.

4. In a rotary printing device for labels, in combination, a thin, elongated, transversely curved printing plate having an embossed raised portion on the outer face between the longitudinal edges thereof, a handle secured to the inner face of the printing plate adjacent one end thereof and having a surface displaced from the inner face to form a shoulder projecting therefrom at the inner end of the handle, a chase having a resilient type-receiving channel, a handle secured to the bottom of the chase adjacent one end thereof and having a surface displaced from the bottom to form a shoulder projecting therefrom at the inner end of the handle, a holder for the plate and for the chase having a face which conforms to the transverse curve of the printing plate, a pair of spaced resilient plates secured to the holder on opposite sides of the face, edge portions of the plates cooperating with the holder adjacent the face to form a first pair of longitudinal ways for removably holding the printing plate on the face, a chase-retaining longitudinal groove in the holder forming a second pair of Ways adjacent one of the plates of a size such that when the chase is inserted into the groovethe sides of the chase are slightly other to hold: the chase pressed toward each other to hold the chase in that position to which it is'slid, and means barring access of the plate and the chase to the ways from a first end of the holder, the longitudinal edges of the plate at a second end thereof spaced from the handle being admissible to the first pair of ways from a second end of the holder, the longitudinal sides of the chase at a second end thereof spaced from the handle being admissible to the second pair of ways from the second end of the holder, said shoulders limiting movements of the plate and the chase along the holder while the plate and the chase are mounted in the respective ways by abutting the second end of the holder, and the handles preventing the insertion of the first ends of the plate and the chase into the respective ways.

References Cited in the file of this patent uNiTED sTAT'Es PATENTS Foster -1; July 22, Pratt Feb. 3, Duncan June 18, Matthews Oct. 15, Hubbard Q Nov. 2, Kranz Mar. 6, -K1ein Mar. 9,

Uhl Oct. 17, Welter Dec. 16, Wolowitz Feb. 6,

I FOREIGN PATENTS Germany June 22, 

